URPradhan

Crazy Techie

The launch of the Rs 210 crore Indian communication satellite INSAT-4B using the Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou in French Guyana has been postponed to Monday after an anamoly in the launch pad was detected during the countdown for the lift-off.

The anamoly relating to 'water deluge system' that is intended to reduce the acoustics level for the safety of the launch pad prompted the commercial launch services provider Arianespace to put the countdown on a temporary hold seven minutes before the launch window was to open, ISRO officials said.

"Both the spacecraft, INSAT-4B and its co-passenger Skynet 5A of EADS Astrium, are in a safe mode. We are going to work and make a new attempt tomorrow," an Arianespace official said at the mission control centre.

The launch window was scheduled between 3.55 am and 4.28 am on Sunday.

Analoguesat

Administrator

Insat 4B successfully launched by the Ariane 5 this evening and delivered to geostationary transfer orbit. She should be in orbit in a week or so, then will have 6-8 weeks of testing before she is handed over for commercial service.

INSAT 4B was the 13th satellite launched by Ariane for the Indian Space Research Organisation in a cooperation that dates back to 1981. The INSAT 4B will be dedicated to television and telecommunications services, carrying 12 Ku-band transponders and 12 C-band transponders for coverage primarily over the Indian sub-continent.